Sikkim

Due to its geographically exposed situation, enabling a good access from India to Tibet, Sikkim reached an early strategic importance. 1641, Sikkim officially became kingdom, and 1817, the British East India Company attained supremacy in Sikkim.

1835, the king (Chogyal) handed over parts of the region Darjiling to Great Britain, with further loss of territory in favour of the British in the years 1849 and 1861. 1867, Sikkim was declared immediate British protectorate.

In the 14th century, according to legend, Khye Bumsa, a prince from the Minyak House in Kham in Eastern Tibet, had a divine revelation one night instructing him to travel south to seek his fortunes. His descendants were later to form the royal family of Sikkim. In 1642, the fifth-generation descendant of Khye Bumsa, Phuntsog Namgyal, was consecrated as the first Chogyal (king) of Sikkim by the three venerated Lamas who came from the north, west and south to Yuksom, marking the beginning of the monarchy.

Statistics

Capital: Gangtok
Areal: 7.986 km2
Population: 540.500
Climate: Tropical, temperate alpine
Economy: Agriculture, tourism
Religions: Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity, Islam

In 1700, Sikkim was invaded by the Bhutanese. The Bhutanese were driven away by the Tibetans. Between 1717 and 1733, the kingdom faced many raids by the Nepalese in the west and Bhutanese. In 1791, China sent troops to support Sikkim and defend Tibet against the Gurkhas. Following the arrival of the British Raj in neighboring India, Sikkim allied with them against their common enemy, Nepal. The Nepalese attacked Sikkim, overrunning most of the region. This prompted the British East India Company to attack Nepal, resulting in the Gurkha War of 1814. Treaties signed between Sikkim and Nepal resulted in returning of the territory annexed by the Nepalese in 1817. A British expedition against the Himalayan kingdom, annexed Darjeeling district and Morang to India in 1853. In 1890, Sikkim became a British protectorate and was granted more sovereignty over the next three decades.

In 1947, a popular vote rejected Sikkim's joining the Indian Union, and Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru agreed to a special protectorate status for Sikkim. Sikkim came under the suzerainty of India, which controlled its external affairs, defence, diplomacy and communications, but Sikkim otherwise retained autonomy.

In 1973, riots in front of the palace led to a formal request for protection from India. In 1975, the Kazi (Prime Minister) appealed to the Indian Parliament for a change in Sikkim's status so that it could become a state of India.

In April, the Indian Army took over the city of Gangtok . A referendum was held in which 97.5% of the voting people voted to join the Indian Union. A few weeks later, on May 16, 1975, Sikkim officially became the 22nd state of the Indian Union and the monarchy was abolished.

The Chinese still regarded Sikkim as an independent state occupied by India. China eventually recognized Sikkim as an Indian state in 2003, on the condition that India accepted Tibet Autonomous Region as a part of China.

On July 6, 2006 the Himalayan pass of Nathula was opened to cross-border trade, further evidence of improving relations in the region.